In English

About SIGCHI Finland

The association for people practicing in the field of human-computer
interaction

Finland Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Human-Computer Interaction or shortly SIGCHI Finland operates to promote increased knowledge of and greater interest in the science, design, development, and applications of modern computing in human-computer interaction (HCI). In addition, the association aims at providing means of communication within the professionals and students in the field of HCI.

SIGCHI Finland is a scientific association, which is aimed at gathering together those people in Finland who research, develop and/or develop HCI and related usability ja user experience. The association’s activities are based on volunteer work.

The association’s aim is also to promote information in the field: from the association’s webpages and email list you can receive information about HCI-related events and news from Finland and internationally. You can also inform others about interesting matters. Our email list offers a statewide recruiting channel for job announcements.

Further, yearly the association organises at least 2 seminars about current HCI field subjects. The seminars also offer the opportunity to meet others from the field and to make new contacts. In addition, the association aims to increase the awareness of the field’s development in Finland.

Additionally, at the centre of the association’s activities is the annual thesis competition, in which the best HCI-related thesis is awarded to encourage study and student performance.

The association’s activity-field covers all of Finland and it is a part of the international ACM SIGCHI organisation, which is the most notable international organisation in this field. The SIGCHI acronym comes from the words Special Interest Group for Computer-Human Interaction, and it is one of the ACM organisation’s area-related organisations. The ACM is the computing field’s most important and longest running scientific organisation, the
Association for Computing Machinery.

The Association’s History

SIGCHI Finland was founded on February 1st, 2001, upon which Roope Raisamo (University of Tampere) was elected chairperson. Other members of the board were vice-chairperson Anu Mäkelä (Helsinki Institute for Information Technology), secretary Ira Laitakari-Svärd (Benefon), treasurer Johan Plomp (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland - Electronics) as well as Pekka Ketola (Nokia Mobile Phones) and Sirpa Pulkkinen (Elisa Communications).

Chairpeople who have served throughout the history of the association are:

2016- Timo Tokkonen

2015 Thomas Olsson

2013-2014 Anne Kaikkonen

2012 Jonna Häkkilä

2011 Virpi Roto

2010 Titti Kallio

2007-2009 Antti Salovaara

2006 Hannakaisa Isomäki

2005 Marko Nieminen

2004 Pekka Ketola

2001-2003 Roope Raisamo

Further information about the history of the association can be requested from
webmaster [at] sigchi.fi.